My 20 Favorite Speech Therapy Toys for 2 Year Olds
I get asked all the time what toys to buy for 2 year olds in speech therapy so they can practice at home.
The truth is that you can use any toy or anything your child likes to practice speech at home! It doesn’t need to be fancy and I don’t want you to feel like you need to buy a bunch of new toys to practice with speech therapy at home. But it is nice to mix things up and play something new with your little one, if not for them for ourselves!
Here is my list of my 20 favorite speech therapy toys for 2 years old. These are the toys I find myself using most often with 2 year olds in speech therapy because they are engaging and can be easily used to teach new speech and language skills.
For each toy I have listed 3 ways that I like to play with them in speech therapy. This way you can get tons of ideas of how you can play with these toys in different ways to help teach your toddler new speech and language skills.
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Fubbles
Bubbles are a no brainer when it comes to toddlers in speech therapy! I always have these mini no spill bubble containers on hand - this way we can share one or everyone can have their own bubbles.
Speech Therapy & Bubbles:
Teach Asking For Help - If your toddler is still learning to blow bubbles, use these no-spill bubbles to teach your little one to ask for help! They can try blowing bubbles on their own without dumping all the bubble juice, then you can teach them to use the baby sign or say “Help!” before you blow bubbles for them.
Learn to Make Fun Sounds - Practice using lots of fun sounds to grow your child’s speech! Sounds like “Woah!” “Pop-pop-pop” and “Oh-No!” are fun sounds to use when playing with bubbles; say them first and listen for your little one to copy you.
Put Them Out of Reach - In my speech office bubbles are a FAVORITE activity for most 2 year olds. I like to put my bubbles high on a shelf where they can see them but can’t reach them on their own (also somewhere they won’t try to climb to get them!). Then, we practice saying “Bubbles!” to ask to play bubbles together.
2. Ball
I love playing ball in speech therapy because this is something most people have at home already! This way families can practice speech and language strategies with me, then keep on practicing at home.
Speech Therapy & Balls
Learn the Word - One of the best ways to teach toddlers new words is to repeat specific words often - we even have a whole lesson about it here! Toddlers will begin to say “ba” (they can’t pronounce the L sound yet and they’ll leave it off) when playing ball together. I have this ball because I live by the beach and have fun talking about the sharks (especially the hammerhead eyes) with toddlers too! It’s a nice way to practice the word ball plus the words to describe what’s on it.
Teach Action Words - Balls are a great way to also teach your toddler action words - roll, hold, kick, throw, bounce, put, etc. Repeat these actions words often as you play with the ball so your toddler can see what these action words mean.
Understanding You and Me - Teach your child the words “you” and “me” as you play with your ball! There are so many ways to incorporate these personal pronouns - “Throw it to me!” “I am kicking it to you!” and so on!
3. The Ball Drop Toy
I can’t tell you how many parents have ordered this toy off Amazon from my office! Something about it is just special and toddlers LOVE it!! It’s a great toy to get in the required repetition for speech therapy practice.
Speech Therapy & The Ball Drop Toy
Learn the Word - This toy has 4 balls = plenty of opportunities to repeat the word and teach your little one to say it too. Once they are saying ball, you can practice putting 2 words together - “Go ball!” “Ball on-top” etc.
Fill in The Blank With Ready Set Go! - Using fill in the blank phrases is a great way to encourage 2 year olds to talk! I say “Ready Set” and wait for them to say “GO!” as we push the balls through the top.
Independent Play - Part of practicing speech at home is sustainability. This toy is great for keeping toddlers entertained if you need a minute to check something off your list or just take a deep breath! Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines :)
4. Go Fish!
This is one of my favorite toys for active toddlers! In my office we create a pond to put our fish in, but at home these are the perfect toys for the bath! Practicing during bath time has it’s benefits because your toddler is naturally contained in the tub and their attention may last a little longer.
Speech Therapy & Go Fish
Play Jumping Fish - A fun way to practice with imitation of actions, words, or phrases is to have the fish jump into the bath off the edge of the tub into the water. Maybe your little one copies your idea, or maybe they repeat you saying “Jump!” “Splash!” or “Ready Set Jump Fish!”
Use Repeated Phrases - You can continue putting the fish back in the bath after you catch them, and each time you go back with your fishing pole or net to get another one, say “Go Fish!” The more times you repeat a single word or phrase, the more likely your toddler is to say it too!
Understanding In and Out - This speech therapy toy is great for teaching toddlers “in” and “out.” You’ll do this by repeating the words often in phrases -“The fish jumps in” “Get it out”, or just by themselves “IN!” or “OUT!”
5. Play-Doh
I always buy name brand Play-Doh (or make it homemade). It lasts longer, works better, and doesn’t stain your hands. I reserve my Play-Doh for little kids who are no longer exploring toys with their mouth - although if you make homemade Play-Doh it is safe to eat!
Speech Therapy & Play-Doh
Learn to Ask For Help - To get started playing Play-Doh lots of toddlers need help either opening up the container or getting the Play-Doh out (or even both!). This is the perfect opportunity to practice asking for help using a baby sign, single word (“help”), or short phrase “Help me open the Play-Doh”).
Learning Adjectives - Play-Doh is perfect for teaching descriptive words, including colors. I don’t often encourage parents to teach colors, but when it comes to Play-Doh and other art activities you can use colors functionally. Ask your toddler who is talking with single words, “Do you want red Play-Doh or blue Play-Doh?” to encourage them to repeat 2 words together.
Pretending - Play-Doh is the perfect speech therapy toy for toddler’s imaginations. You can bake cookies, make animals, build a house, or follow your imagination in a seemingly endless number of directions. Pretending with Play-Doh is a particularly fun activities for kids working to talk in sentences and answer questions. You can describe what you are making, ask each other questions, and follow what your child is imagining.
6. Farm and animals
The toy farm and animals is a speech therapy toy that can grow with your toddler from the earliest communication skills to having pretend conversations amongst the toys.
Speech Therapy & Farm Animals
Use Animal Sounds - Practicing with animal sounds is a great activity for toddlers who haven’t started talking yet or who have just started talking. Animals sounds - like “moo-moo” and “neigh-neigh” contain sounds that are easier for toddlers to pronounce. And we do count animal sounds as words when toddlers say the sounds to talk about different animals!
Talk About Animal Activities - Putting animals to sleep, waking them up, feeding them, and moving them around your farm is a simple and fun way to play with this speech therapy toy. You can comment on what the animals are doing to encourage your little one to learn these words and say them themselves.
Add Another Toy - Bring some other toys to join the farm party! Cars, blocks, and pretend food are some fun additions to farm play. By adding in more toys you can use your imagination and teach your toddler even more words.
7. Duplo Blocks
Duplo blocks are my favorite blocks for toddler speech therapy! Sometimes the simplest toys make for the best speech therapy resources because kids are able to focus more on learning the words. Here’s how I play with toys for speech delayed toddlers.
Speech Therapy & Duplo Blocks
Say On-no! - Who doesn’t love building up a tower and knocking it down?! Encourage your toddler to repeat “Oh-no!” by being animated and excited about the falling tower!
Understanding Location Words: On top, next to, under - Blocks are a great way to teach your toddler location words. Putting the blocks on top, next to, or under one another. You can comment on where you are putting the blocks or sneakily test your toddler’s understanding by asking them to put the blocks in a specific location every once in awhile!
Pretending & Describing - Blocks are another toy great for pretending! You can build a tower, house, castle, farm, road, or bridge. The blocks can become a meal for your toy people, or maybe their bed to sleep on. Following your toddler’s imagination in play creates the opportunity to teach lots of different words!
8. Toy Food
You are so cool and your toddler wants to be just like you! I love using food toys for speech delayed toddlers because they have a chance to copy what they see you doing at home and learn the names of foods and words for mealtime.
Speech Therapy & Toy Food
Say Yum! - For toddlers who haven’t started talking, I love practicing with “Yum!” When we pretend to eat our yummy fruits and vegetables I say “Yum!” and listen for them to try to copy me. You can also say “yum!” if the animals, toy people, or baby doll take a bite!
Learn One Versus Many - Toy food is great for teaching the concept of one versus many. You can pretend to serve your animals or each other and ask “Do you want one banana or lots/so many bananas?” Showing them one piece of banana in your left hand and lots in your right as you ask helps them learn about one versus many!
Pretend Cooking - Pretending to cook allows toddlers to copy everything they’ve watched you do in the kitchen at home. As you play you can label your food and comment on what you’re doing (cut, chop, put, wash, peel, stir, etc.) to teach your toddler the words for things they see or do every day!
9. Wagon
This toddler size wagon is such a fun speech therapy toy! I love it because toddler’s can pull it around and fill it up with whatever they want! This is another simple toy that can be played with in so many ways and has the flexibility to grow with your child so you can use it for years.
Speech Therapy & Wagons
Fill and Dump! - Wagons are great containers. Fill it up with anything and dump it out! This favorite toddler play routine is great for practicing “In” and “Out” as well as the fun remark “Oh-No!”
Follow Along & Comment - At home you can practice speech therapy by following your toddler around and naming all the things they put in their wagon. Following their lead usually keeps their interest and lets you practice longer!
Take Them For a Ride - Your toddler may enjoy taking the favorite stuffys or baby dolls for a ride in the wagon. Practice with simple questions, like “Who is going to ride?” and “Where are we going?” once your toddler knows the words the answer.
10. Water Table
I love playing with sensory bins or sensory tables in toddler speech therapy sessions. Sensory bins can be super messy though! I recommend this fun outdoor water table for families in warm places. My nephew loves playing with his water table day after day, which means he gets lots of practice with the same words!
Have Them Help Set Up - Your speech practice can start when you fill up the water table. Turning on the hose, putting the water in the table, and watching it fill up gives you and your toddler tons to talk about! If you drain the table, this can be equally as exciting and fun to talk about as well!
Say Hop-Hop-Hop WOW! - I love using repeated phrases in speech therapy. The more times a toddler hears a word, the more likely they are to try and say it themselves. I like to take my toy animals, shovels, or anything else and have them hop along the edge of the table “Hop-hop-hop” and then jump in the water - when they hop in you can say “WOW!” “Splash” “In” “Jump” or any other related word you want to practice!
Water Play & Comment - Scooping and pouring the water is mesmerizing for toddlers! When you have their attention you can repeat words many times to talk about what’s happening; they are more likely to learn new words when we talk about what they are paying attention to! You can work on sounds, words, or phrases with this strategy depending on what stage your toddler is at.
11. Animal Hospital Toy
This is one of those really fun toys for speech delayed toddlers and even adults! Toddlers particularly love being able to use the keys to open and close the doors! It’s also a great toy for playing with the things (smaller things) your child likes most, like calls or cars. You can put those toys in the doors and show them how to play with their favorite things in a new way!
Learn to Ask For Help - As toddlers continue to develop their fine motor skills, they may need your help to get the key into the door. This is the perfect opportunity to teach your little one to ask for help.
Learning New Words - You can put your animals behind the doors, or other small toys that will fit. Repeating the names of the toys or items as you put them in the rooms and take them out is a great way to practice new words.
Understanding In & Out - Teach your toddler the meaning of in and out as you put things in the rooms and take things out. You can practice with just the words in and out, or practice with phrases (“doggy goes in”) if your toddler has already learned in and out by themselves.
12. Spray Bottle
One of the simplest and most fun toys for speech delayed toddlers! Spray bottles are perfect for toddlers who love to help out at home and like to have a job to do!
Speech Therapy & Spray Bottles
Following Directions - Whether you’re using your spray bottle to water the plants or wipe down the table after dinner, you can practice following directions with a spray bottle. As your toddler gets practice, you can make that directions harder by adding more steps.
Learning Action Words - Repeating verbs, like spray, wipe, and clean, when using your spray bottle is a great way do you teach your toddler new verbs. Learning verbs is important because it allows toddlers to talk and sentences.
Body Parts - Use the spray bottle in the bath to teach your little one body parts. Use the spray bottle to rinse off the soap. And because it will take longer to rinse with a spray bottle, you’ll have lots of chances to name your body parts! If your up for it toddlers love to squirt your toes or hands with the spray bottle too, this can be a fun way to keep their attention a little longer!
13. Trampoline
A trampoline is one of the most fun speech therapy toys for active toddlers. Pairing your speech goals with movement is a great way to ensure toddlers are engaged and learning. If your toddler has tons of energy, the trampoline is a great speech therapy tool!
Speech Therapy & Trampolines
Say Ready Set GO! - Using repeated phrases in play is a great way to encourage your toddler to fill in the blank. When you say the same thing over and over toddlers have lots of opportunities to learn the word at the end and then fill in the blank. Say “Ready Set” then pause for your toddler to say “Go!”
Jumping Animals - Put your toy animals (or any toys) on the trampoline and use your hands or feet to bounce them. Say “Oh-No!” when they bounce off, or “Oh-No Cow!” if your toddler is working towards 2 words.
Sing a Song - Make up a song about jumping on the trampoline to teach your toddler new action words. Something like, “We are jumping, we are jumping, jump jump jump, jump jump jump.” is great! Toddlers need lots of repetition to learn words and creating your own jingle is a fun way to do it!
14. Flashlight
Flashlights are great attention getters for toddlers! And when your teaching your toddler new skills at home, having their attention is critical.
Speech Therapy & Flashlights
Play Hide & Seek - Hide anything and find it with your flashlight. Repeating “Where’d it go?” is a fun way to get your toddler practicing with simple questions.
Learn ON and OFF - Just turning this toddler speech therapy toy on and off is a fun and exciting activity! You can teach your toddler “on” and “off” by themselves first, then add in some more words: “light on” “turn it off.”
Play I Spy - This is a fun and sneaky way to investigate your toddler’s understanding skills. You can say “I spy with my little eye a ___” and have your toddler shine a light on it. If they don’t know the words, you can shine the light together and learn the names of new things.
15. Slide
A slide is another fantastic speech therapy toy for active toddlers! And you can do so much more than simply go down!
Speech Therapy & Slides
Say Whee! - Practicing with fun sounds is a great speech therapy activity for toddlers who haven’t said their first word yet. Pairing a sound and a movement is a gun way to encourage toddlers to repeat your sounds.
The Toys Go Down - Cars, dolls, blocks, balls, and so on! You can put so many things down your slide and talk about it with your toddler! This is a great way to encourage commenting, either with one word or a short sentence!
Turn Taking - Slides are great speech therapy toys for teaching sharing. If you have more than one little kid at home, taking turns on the slide is a fun introduction to sharing and talking about turns: “Your turn” “My turn.” You can also take turns with baby dolls and toys!
16. Dump Truck
Dump trucks are a great toy that can grow with your toddler. From filling the back up and dumping it out to pretending with toys who drive the truck around to make their deliveries. In speech therapy I love using dump trucks because there are a seemingly infinite number of ways to play with them.
Speech Therapy & Dump Trucks
Fill It Up - Teach your child the name for the things they want to put in their dump truck. You could provide them blocks or toys of some sort to fill the back, or follow their lead and say the names for the things they choose. Dump them out and fill it back up to get lots of practice with the same words!
Talk About The Parts - When playing with toys, one way to teach your child new words is to talk about it’s parts - wheels, lights, window, front, back, etc. This is a great strategy for growing vocabulary with toys your child may already know the name of.
Add Another Toy - You might choose to add toy people, animals, or a city you’re building with your blocks. Using more than one toy together creates tons of opportunities to teach new words and sentences for children who are already saying hundreds of words on their own.
17. Toy Bus
We love the toy bus so much we created a whole blog post dedicated to how you can use your toy bus to practice speech therapy at home! Check it out here - Speech Therapy & The “Magic” School Bus
18. Farm Magnet Puzzle
I love the farm puzzle toy for speech therapy because there is so much more to do than put the pieces back. I like to practicing knocking on the doors, arranging the animals on a magnetic surface, having the animals do silly stuff, and putting them back.
Speech Therapy & The Farm Magnet Puzzle
Knock-Knock - Knocking on the animals toys is a fun way to start playing. Your child may copy your action, or say their words with you. Then you can talk about the animals that are inside and have your little one take them out.
Location Words - “Way up high or Down low?” Ask your child where they want to put their animals on the fridge or other magnetic cabinet. Teach the meaning of location words as you practice with all the different animals.
Silly Animals Stuff - Speech therapy with toddler is all about being silly because it keeps their attention! Make the animals do silly stuff, like hide on your head or try to eat the trash, and talk about it! Being silly takes the pressure off toddlers and is part of what makes speech therapy fun!
19. Potato Head Family
This is a classic toy and great for toddler speech therapy and is great for acting out everyday routines. This is helpful because families can practice with the words or skills you work on within the context of their day to day life.
Speech Therapy & The Potato Head Family
Push!! - As you put the potato people together, say Push! This is one word you can say over and over as you play and it starts with an early developing sound “P” which your child may repeat over time.
Body Parts - The names of body parts are easily practiced with the potato family. Practicing saying the names of body parts is a great skill for toddlers who are already saying the words for their essential needs, like bottle (baba), mama, and no.
Daily Routines - The potato family can make a pretend snack, take a bath, or go to bed; all things that toddlers also do everyday. This way you can teach words for things in toddler’s day to day lives and words that they can practice with easily at home.
20. Ice Cream Pretend Set
Ice Cream! Whether or not your toddler eats ice cream, this toy is super fun!! The magnetic scooper lifts the scoops of different flavored ice cream and you can put them on cones before serving them to all your friends and toys!
Speech Therapy & Pretend Ice Cream
Woah! Yum! Oh-No! - This toy is great for practicing with fun words and sounds! Say, “Woah!” as you stack your ice cream scoops, “Yum!” as you pretend to eat them, and “Oh-No!” when your ice cream stack falls down.
Talk About Quantity - One or two scoops of ice cream? Just one or all of the flavors? There are tons of ways to talk about when playing with this toy.
Asking Questions - Your toddler can practice asking questions by serving ice cream to people. “Do you want ice cream?” “Vanilla or chocolate?” “Cup or cone?” Practice asking questions to each other, siblings, friends, or toys.
That’s a wrap on my top 20 toys for speech delayed toddlers (and their parents) looking to practice speech therapy activities at home!
Leave a comment below to let us know what you’ll be playing with this week!
Written By: Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP
© 2020-2023. Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP. All Rights Reserved.
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